Here is a brighter version of this image in the Wikipedia.
If you notice some of the imagery in the clouds, I think this is what a book does for a child’s mind. It allows a dreamlike state of reverie and a glimpse into worlds unseen. Or potential worlds?
In my own childhood I was much like this little girl at the window. Luckily, my relatives gave me books to read. A book allows you to slip into the world the writer created. Many books I had in childhood had beautiful illustrations like this one.
I love pen and ink and watercolor washes done this way. The images for my books HEART OF CLOUDS and the upcoming THE SEAHEART (I will be writing in November) are suited to this kind of imagery.
We have so much technology now for books. But I like books as a tangible beautiful aesthetic object. That is what they were in the past — and some publishers still do them this way.
I decided to make THE SEAHEART one word. For poetic reasons.
I think the imagery in the books I’m writing would look lovely with this old fashioned kind of illustration.
VALENTINE BONNAIRE - WRITER 
I agree about the illustration. Every book is someone’s window to their Perception of the world. Every time we read a book we choose to be taken to a landscape of thoughts.
Profound really. You already know how much I love your
Heart of Clouds.
I have been reading this yellowed book today.
The Choice is Always Ours
The choice is always ours. Then let me choose
the longest art, the hard Promethean way
Cherishingly to tend and feed and fan
That forward fire, whose small precarious flame
kindled or quenched creates
the noble or ignoble men we are
the worlds we live in and the very fates
Our bright or muddy star.
Aldous Huxley
Love to you,
song!
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I love Huxley! Missed your call and don’t want to call too late but I really want to talk so, does daytime work tomorrow just for a bit? If we set a time?
Maybe it will work. Let me know a good time, and thanks for your comments and Aldous. When you come out here again I have a place to show you like that music store? And you will love it. Really love it. Aldous was up here, and there, once.
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Brave New World Revisited. Those essays revelatory and prophetic. Yes Huxley a great influence. Actually think still about those essays.
Evening is better for me. Call me after 9 anytime!
Ps? What place pray tell did Huxley visit?
Big hug comin’ atcha
song!
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The beautiful bookstore up at the Vedanta Temple where I got that book. It’s up in the hills, exquisite. There is a Tibetan bell as well.
http://www.vedanta.org/vssc/centers/sb.html
It is an architectural classic here. Very beautiful and peaceful up there. And the little store is what you will love!
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okay, tonight I will call — it will be after 9 —
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What I would love is the peace and quiet and seeing you again. That place? Where you found your book. Perfect right? Seems so. What an experience for you to have!
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Next time we will do all the local things? Most of them don’t cost a cent. We will go to the fab places? Locals only places. So you can know the town.
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When I drove back from Monterrey I stopped by that beach. It was dark. There was a man not far away dancing with a hoop. I took my shoes off and walked to the ocean’s edge. And he danced.and danced.
Ha! I thought about doing the Tai Chi form. But the ocean was too overpowering for concentration. It mesmerizes me. Really!
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Missed your call. Hope you are fine.
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